Interview Dave Feschuk talks about his last article in the Star. Burke wants credit

Proud Leaf Nation fans sang out "Fire Wilson" chants in unison from the ACC rafters forcing a coaching change in Toronto, after Leafs GM had just extended him for believing Wilson was doing a good job.

Got to give credit where credit is due when it comes to why Carlyle is here in Toronto. If not for fans proactively taking the initiative, the former GM would still be allowing Wilson to complete his shiny new contract he gave him.

Burke shouldn't be taking credit for Carlyle, he should be thanking Leaf Nation for forcing his hand.

beautiful. nice spin.

what about the question on the players? I'll ask again cause you seem to have ignored the first 2 times I asked you.

where did the coach/GM get these new players they are now playing? thin air? or did the GM make a bunch of moves since the last GM left that I missed?

Burke didn't want Carlyle he wanted Wilson as his coach of choice, how else do you explain the contract extension he gave the former one in a show of support?

As far as the players go. .Lombardi is in Phoenix, Brown in Edmonton, Connolly on the Marlies, and Komisarek and Liles and often Steckel glued to their seats in the pressbox away from the current teams success. Addition by subtraction seems to be getting the Leafs moving in the right direction finally.

Burke didn't want Carlyle he wanted Wilson as his coach of choice, how else do you explain the contract extension he gave the former one in a show of support?

As far as the players go. .Lombardi is in Phoenix, Brown in Edmonton, Connolly on the Marlies, and Komisarek and Liles and often Steckel glued to their seats in the pressbox away from the current teams success. Addition by subtraction seems to be getting the Leafs moving in the right direction finally.

and allowing the players BB brought in to play. right. now you're getting it old timer.

Didn't realize Burke was the one who hired Wilson. Revisionist history at it's finest.

Gotta thank you for continually quoting Mess there 67. I wouldn't get to read his posts otherwise.

When you keep a coach around for three years of embarrassing results, with division finishes of last, last, and second last, allowing the franchise to become the absolute laughing stock of not just the NHL, but pro sports in general, you assume responsibility for that coach.

Just because Burke didn't hire Wilson doesn't mean he is off the hook for letting him drive the "18 wheeler of a cliff".

Burke is a failure, and just like Wilson with his "500 wins" bull****, he is cherry picking his successes and dismissing his failures.

Frankly it is disgusting that that pair of conceited, ego maniacal blowhards was allowed to run this historic franchise for as long as they did.

When you keep a coach around for three years of embarrassing results, with division finishes of last, last, and second last, allowing the franchise to become the absolute laughing stock of not just the NHL, but pro sports in general, you assume responsibility for that coach.

Just because Burke didn't hire Wilson doesn't mean he is off the hook for letting him drive the "18 wheeler of a cliff".

Burke is a failure, and just like Wilson with his "500 wins" bull****, he is cherry picking his successes and dismissing his failures.

Frankly it is disgusting that that pair of conceited, ego maniacal blowhards was allowed to run this historic franchise for as long as they did.

Burke is a good reason while the Leafs are really struggling and why they have so many problems at all areas. Yet, fans here still like him. Very strange.

My take on it is that alot of posters here are very young, and don't understand the distinction between the Maple Leafs organization, and employees of the Maple Leafs organization. They view an attack on Burke, or an attack on the job he has done, as an attack on the Maple Leafs organization.

Its sort of the way patriotism gets perverted by so many people. They decide that criticism of something is tantamount to an attack on it, and that by criticizing Burke, we are just "trolling" the true Maple Leaf fans.

Of course, people who don't think that way, and who have been around long enough to compare this era to previous ones, understand that criticizing a GM is just a part of being a fan, and that after four years of work, finishing no better than second last in your division, or sitting in 6th place halfway through a shortened season, ought not be considered "success".

My take on it is that alot of posters here are very young, and don't understand the distinction between the Maple Leafs organization, and employees of the Maple Leafs organization. They view an attack on Burke, or an attack on the job he has done, as an attack on the Maple Leafs organization.

Its sort of the way patriotism gets perverted by so many people. They decide that criticism of something is tantamount to an attack on it, and that by criticizing Burke, we are just "trolling" the true Maple Leaf fans.

Of course, people who don't think that way, and who have been around long enough to compare this era to previous ones, understand that criticizing a GM is just a part of being a fan, and that after four years of work, finishing no better than second last in your division, or sitting in 6th place halfway through a shortened season, ought not be considered "success".

my take (and I'm not very young) is BB gets ***** on so much some people feel the need to defend him because although he made mistakes, the biggest being extending/keeping Wilson, he also did a lot of good, both for the team and community, and has brought in some good players on the current and future rosters.

If people would acknowledge that instead of saying his tenure here was a complete and total failure there wouldn't be the need to have these arguments.

Burke is a good reason while the Leafs are really struggling and why they have so many problems at all areas. Yet, fans here still like him. Very strange.

Not all are fooled by the fat fraud. He sucked and continues to suck..He sucks and blows at the same time. Best thing that happened to this organization in a very long time was showing that a$$ the door. Not soon enough.

my take (and I'm not very young) is BB gets ***** on so much some people feel the need to defend him because although he made mistakes, the biggest being extending/keeping Wilson, he also did a lot of good, both for the team and community, and has brought in some good players on the current and future rosters.

If people would acknowledge that instead of saying his tenure here was a complete and total failure there wouldn't be the need to have these arguments.

I agree, there is a bit of internet 'hipster-ism', in that bashing Burke is so popular, invariably some people feel the need to defend if only because they like to stand out from the crowd.

I think most people acknowledge though that Burke did some good. But for whatever good he did do, how far ahead are the Leafs, really, from the day he was hired? They're still not a playoff team, they still don't have a goalie, and they still don't have a no. 1 centre; objectives no. 1, 2 and 3 from the day he was hired.

People love to say he "stocked the cupboards". Well, if after four losing seasons a GM hasn't at least accomplished that, then he could probably be considered the worst GM in league history, never mind just plain old bad.

Not all are fooled by the fat fraud. He sucked and continues to suck..He sucks and blows at the same time. Best thing that happened to this organization in a very long time was showing that a$$ the door. Not soon enough.

Burke should take full credit for his own removal , because it has resulted in an "addition by subtraction" positive outcome for the Organization trickle down effect from top to bottom from MLSE Ownership, through management, and down to the Fans and the product on the ice.

Nothing but positive things have resulted as a result of Burke no longer being around, its a big WIN WIN all around.

Agreed if MLSE would have acted sooner removing the Wilson\Burke combo earlier the road to recovery could have began sooner. Better late then never as the saying goes.

I agree, there is a bit of internet 'hipster-ism', in that bashing Burke is so popular, invariably some people feel the need to defend if only because they like to stand out from the crowd.

I think most people acknowledge though that Burke did some good. But for whatever good he did do, how far ahead are the Leafs, really, from the day he was hired? They're still not a playoff team, they still don't have a goalie, and they still don't have a no. 1 centre; objectives no. 1, 2 and 3 from the day he was hired.

People love to say he "stocked the cupboards". Well, if after four losing seasons a GM hasn't at least accomplished that, then he could probably be considered the worst GM in league history, never mind just plain old bad.

you need only look the post above and below yours for 2 examples of either uneducated or blinded by hatred for the man to acknowledge anything positive.

Burke has ALREADY been scrutinized and held accountable for every single thing he's done in the last 4 years. What he hasnt received is the much-deserved accolades that go along putting together a playoff-worthy team. The hole that was dug by both JFJ and Fletcher was huge, and regardless of who was managing, results werent gonna be known for at least a few years...you just cant change a team overnight.

The media surrounding the Leafs is some of the worst media in the world. It is completely outrageous some of the stuff they get away with. Unfortunately, its not much different than the rest of the world...when something good happens, you never hear about it, BUT let a single, tiny bad thing happen, and its blown up and out of proportion over and over and over.

In the end, Burke has done way more good than bad here. Alot of times it felt like he was unnecessarily loud and boisterous, but it seems like alot of that was done to draw media attention away from the Leafs, who were struggling at the time to find their own identity, and didnt need to have the media all over them 24/7 (would still love to find the reporter and editor who put that Kadri with a pacifier pic on the front page and shoot them in the face). When you have a media that will stoop to doing stuff like that, then it becomes his job to do what he has to do to protect his players. Plain and simple.

Personally, i miss Burke.

I agree 100% I do think alot of the brashness was to deflect away from the team. Imagine ringing a players mother just to question the teams official word, that is sick at the end of the day its a game.

There is stern proof in some of these posts, that being in a position of authority on a hockey board has far more to do with the amount of time you spend on the internet, than your knowledge of the game....

Burke didn't want Carlyle he wanted Wilson as his coach of choice, how else do you explain the contract extension he gave the former one in a show of support?

Well, most logical fans (don't worry, I'd never accuse you of that) would look at where the Leafs were at the time of signing, and where they were at the time of firing.

Regardless, pretty sure Burke DID hire Carlyle, so if he didn't want him he had a funny way if showing.

Bring on the infraction....

Quote:

As far as the players go. .Lombardi is in Phoenix, Brown in Edmonton, Connolly on the Marlies, and Komisarek and Liles and often Steckel glued to their seats in the pressbox away from the current teams success. Addition by subtraction seems to be getting the Leafs moving in the right direction finally.

And Kessel is our top winger, followed closely by JVR. Phaneuf is our best defence man, Kadri is our top young player. Franson looks excellent this year, People are clamouring to get Gardiner back in the lineup. McClement has been our best pker. Any guess what all these guys have in common?

Proud Leaf Nation fans sang out "Fire Wilson" chants in unison from the ACC rafters forcing a coaching change in Toronto, after Leafs GM had just extended him for believing Wilson was doing a good job.

Got to give credit where credit is due when it comes to why Carlyle is here in Toronto. If not for fans proactively taking the initiative, the former GM would still be allowing Wilson to complete his shiny new contract he gave him.

Burke shouldn't be taking credit for Carlyle, he should be thanking Leaf Nation for forcing his hand.

Well, most logical fans (don't worry, I'd never accuse you of that) would look at where the Leafs were at the time of signing, and where they were at the time of firing.

Regardless, pretty sure Burke DID hire Carlyle, so if he didn't want him he had a funny way if showing.

Bring on the infraction....

And Kessel is our top winger, followed closely by JVR. Phaneuf is our best defence man, Kadri is our top young player. Franson looks excellent this year, People are clamouring to get Gardiner back in the lineup. McClement has been our best pker. Any guess what all these guys have in common?

mediocre burke .......he gets way too much ink ......u ever notice u hardly hear ken holland spouting off ?that's class .....burke took 4 years to retool a team that likley will finish between 8th and 12th .. so before we make a statue of him here ,lets fremember the last good gm ,s we had ..this crap all started when richard peddie had to try to run the leafs ....i can bet u right now THE NEW MSLE is picking every good sports expert around's brain to get it right ....IMO .this current management team is short term at best and i think in the long run a hockey man will become president and the buck will stop with him ,this burke crap is old now ,,,,he shouldnt be running around taking credit for stupid contracts and a team that may fall out of the playoffs at any time ,as early as this weekend .